Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley help Cavaliers hold off Hawks 122-116

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 22 points and tied a career high with 19 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-116 on Wednesday night.

James Harden added 21 points for the Cavaliers, who have won four straight and seven of eight. Cleveland (51-29) can finish no lower than fourth place in the Eastern Conference and is 1/2 game behind New York for the third seed.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 24 off the bench as Atlanta was unable to clinch a playoff berth with the loss. The Hawks (45-35) have dropped their last two after winning four straight. They are one game ahead of Toronto for the fifth seed but only 1 1/2 in front of Orlando to avoid being in the play-in tournament.

It was Mitchell's 200th regular-season game with at least 20 points in four years with the Cavaliers. He is the fifth player in franchise history to reach that milestone.

Mitchell had his 14th game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Atlanta took a 67-56 lead on a dunk by Dyson Daniels with 57 seconds remaining in the first half before Cleveland went on a 17-3 run over the final minute of the second quarter and first three minutes of the third.

Cleveland outscored Atlanta 44-20 in the third to take a 104-87 advantage into the final 12 minutes. A 3-point play by Dennis Schroder put the Cavaliers up 110-92 before the Hawks answered back with an 18-2 run where Alexander-Walker had seven points.

Kuminga's dunk got Atlanta within 118-116 and had a chance to tie after Sam Merrill missed a 3-pointer. But Alexander-Walker lost possession of the ball in the paint before Jarrett Allen got the steal. Mitchell then made a pair of free throws to put the Cavaliers up by more than one possession.

The two teams meet Friday in Atlanta for the fourth and final time in the regular season.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots in front of Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, right, reaches for the ball with teammate Dean Wade (32) and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, center, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) dunks between Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu, left, and guard Dyson Daniels (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Southern California stadium workers who threatened to strike for the U.S. men’s soccer team's opening World Cup match said Tuesday they expect to stay on the job after reaching a tentative contract deal with higher wages and more labor protections.

The union representing 2,000 bartenders, servers, cooks and dishwashers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, announced the deal at a news conference Tuesday. It came after workers last week voted to authorize a strike as contract talks had stalled with the stadium’s food service provider, Legends Global.

Workers said they wanted wage increases, protections from subcontracting and security on the job amid ramped-up immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration. The tentative contract will give stadium cooks among the highest wages for the job in the country, with many earning $40 an hour in about two years, said Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents the workers.

“Economically, it is the strongest agreement at any NFL stadium,” Petersen told reporters outside the stadium near Los Angeles, while workers cheered. “In short, we won every major issue that we brought to the table.”

Workers will vote Wednesday on whether to ratify the deal.

The contract would last through April 2028 — just ahead of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles — and includes protections against subcontracting and a contribution to build housing for hospitality workers. Some cooks currently make about $31 an hour and will see their hourly wages rise over the next two years to $38 or $39, said Islagisbel Castillo, 21, a suite cook on the bargaining committee.

“This is a very proud moment for all of us,” said Yolanda Fierro, a suite runner at the stadium. “We really want to secure the safety of all our employees.”

In a statement, Legends Global said the company was pleased to reach an agreement with workers and looks forward to providing “an outstanding hospitality experience” at the World Cup matches in Inglewood.

One of the key sticking points in contract negotiations that wrapped up Monday, Petersen said, was workers' demand for security on the job from immigration raids. Community and union groups have raised concerns about the potential for federal raids during the World Cup, but Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna last week said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had assured him federal authorities would be at matches to assist with security, not civil immigration enforcement.

Under the deal, Petersen workers retained the right to strike in case of an immigration raid at work. He said it was the last issue on the table in negotiations.

"No other collective bargaining agreement in the country preserves the right to strike in response to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids and attacks,” he said. “We hope we never need to use that right.”

The World Cup is expected to draw millions of fans to matches across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, over 39 days this month and next.

Eight matches are scheduled for SoFi Stadium, starting with Friday’s match between the U.S. and Paraguay. The stadium, which opened in 2020, seats 70,000 people and is home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.

Taxin reported from Santa Ana, Calif.

A worker walks past temporary fencing with FIFA World Cup 2026 signage outside SoFi Stadium, Friday, June 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

FILE - A general view shows SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., Tuesday, May 12, 2026, during a media event for the upcoming FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong,File)